Realism in Patricia MacLachlan’s Sarah, Plain and Tall :: Sarah Plain Tall

Realism in Patricia MacLachlans Sarah, bold and TallA book that has a clear understanding of what is real is often mind to be a quality book. Although what is thought to be real is varied for everyone, for me it is how easily I am able to relate to the characters in the book. If I can sympathize and understand what they are going through on an emotional level and can put myself in their shoes, I am more apt to enjoy the study. Narrative style and structure suffer a very important role here because it is through these that we assume a sense of what type of realism is being portrayed. For example, in Sarah, Plain and Tall, the realism displayed is emotional realism.In Patricia MacLachlans Sarah, Plain and Tall the memoir style is apparent. We know that it is the character Anna whose point of view this story is from. It is natural that it is told from her point of view, because the arrival of Sarah will ultimately affect her the most. We get a sense of the pain that she has unde rgone, as well as the over-whelming sense of rage and pride she has for her family. As Anna explains, I didnt tell him what I rattling thought. He was homely and plain, and he had a terrible holler and a horrid smell. But these were not the whisk of him. Mama died the next morning. That was the worst thing about Caleb (MacLachlan 4). It also reveals to us the tremendous amount of accountability that is resting on her young shoulders.In addition to the point of view, in what neighborhood it was scripted is also important. Is it written as a fantasy, as a truth, or as a fable? Sarah, Plain and Tall was written as realism, meaning it has a feeling that it actually happened. Although we arent directly told when and where this story takes place, we get at good sense of it by the descriptions of their everyday life. It is these descriptions that allow for the book its sense of realism. For example, in chapter seven Caleb describes plowing to Sarah Papa ask five horses for the big g ang plow, Caleb told Sarah. Prairie grass is hard (MacLachlan 39). Despite the need of an in-depth depiction, we still gain a feeling of what kind of life these characters led, as well as in what time period the story takes place.